Oil spills from oil tankers have become prevalent in recent years with devastating results. Many methods and devices have been suggested in the past for preventing such oil spills; and for cleaning up, or at least containing, such oil spills after they have occurred. However, for the most part such prior art devices and systems for one reason or another have remained largely ineffective.
The system of the present invention is predicated upon the known fact that when an oil tanker strikes an object which pierces its hull, the oil in the affected compartment of the tanker is pushed out and replaced by the heavier seawater, until it reaches the highest point of the hole. The oil in the compartment is then trapped above the water and stops leaking out.
Prior to the present invention, it was the practice for everyone to stand helplessly by as the oil slowly flowed out of the damaged oil tanker, or at least until auxiliary equipment could be brought alongside of the damaged vessel to pump the oil out of the leaking compartment.
The principle object of the system of the present invention is to provide a means for pumping the oil out of the damaged compartment immediately after the occurrence of the accident, so as to minimize the amount of oil escaping to the sea.
In accordance with the teaching of the present invention, the oil is pumped out of the damaged compartment by a pump permanently mounted on the ship whose intake extends into the compartment, and the oil is pumped into a collapsible container which is carrier by the vessel, and which has been lowered into the sea over the side of the vessel. The filled container then floats in the water until its oil may be subsequently recovered. An appropriate number of such containers are carrier on the vessel.